Switch lug



May 29, 1923. 1,457,266

D. A. PICKENS SWITCH LUG Filed Dec. 13. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 w M -s INVENTOR b l 1. I 405' BY WITNESS: I ATTORNEY May 29, 1923. 1,457,266

D. A. PICKENS SWITCH LUG Filed Dec. 13, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0. A. P/a/rens BY my;

WITNESS: ATTORNEY Patented May 29, 1923.

.. f: S l- DAVISA. rrc znns, or Jackson, nissrssirri,

. "SWIT TCH Wat- 1 1 Application filed lleceniber 13,1921. -seria1 no.'522,b32r

7 To allwlwm z'tmag mm: 7 Y

-Be'- 't -known that I, 'DAvrs A. PIonnNs, a citizen of the UniteclxStates, residing at Jackson. in the county of Hinds'andJState of -Missi ssippi, have invented new: ma useful ImprovementsinSwitch Lugs, of which the following isa specification.

i This invention relates to improvements inswitch lugs, the p'rincipal object of the in- 10 vention being to provide'means =for preventing derailment from split switches by the use of spring means for holding the switch point against the rail. M

Another object of the invention-is to provide means for reinforcing thepoint so as to make the point as strong as any other'part of the track, with means for locking the re inforcement to the oint.

This invention" a so consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of. the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings claims.

In describing my invention in detail, ref-' erence will be had to the accompany ng drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a plan viewshowing a portion of a switch provided with my invention.

Figure 2 is asection on line 2-2 of Fig-- ure 1.

Figure dis a section on l1ne'3--3 of Figure 1. c

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-'5 of Figure 4:.

Figure 6 is anend elevationof the spring I slot-to receive the lowerhea'd 0f the key.

and specifically pointed out in the/appended of my invention will upper part, the upper part being designed which passes through the lower=part l of, the opening and through the bridle rod 5 which I hasits lower part of lessdimensions it's toreceive the he ad of-a-key't,ftheshank of is provided with a longitudinally extending f i i The parts are so formed- 'that 'the reinf mg strips must begpla'ced' i'nf'a position-par? al e1 with the bridle rods-in 'order to permit a the keys-to be placed-in engagement with the' bridle-rod. Then'by turning therein the head atthe lower end o'f-the key will be" placed in such-a position as to lock the parts,

.65 forcements atright angles to the. bridle rod together. Lockin strips 6 are bolted to-the i upper-and lower Faces of the rod 5 and abut the keys to prevent turningmovement there' The upper strips are 'providedwith'.

notches -at the outer ends. for engaging the shanks of the keys and the flanges? of the points are also] notched, as at 7, toreceive the ends of these strips.

l A block 8 is secured to a part of the track, it

between the switchf points, and a spring plunger 9 'isvlocated in 1a guideway 10 in". i

saidblockl A crosspiece vllis connected with this plunger and rods 12 connect the ,cross piece with the rein-forceinent'of the point, which acting under the tension ofthe spring tendto hold the of the main track. v

Instead of making the keys l witha head point against the rail at both ends I may omit theh ead at the it lower end and screw thread this'end, as shown at 4, so that a nut 4 can be placed thereon to engage the bottom face of thefrod a hole therein'to: receive the shank Iofthe key.

i. 5. In this case the rod 5 would simply have 7 From the above it will be seen zthatthe spring tends ,to hold the switch points against the railsot the main. track so that i l i it any parts shouldbreak the spring would close the switch and prevent derailment of thetrain. The reinforcements. make ,the

point as strong as any other part of the rail and the reinforcements are firmly locked to.

the points so that there is'no danger of them becoming separated from the points.

It. is thought from the foregoing description that the advanta es and novelteatures & readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a railroad switch. a reinforcing strip provided with a vertical opening longitudinally enlarged at the top, a bridle rod provided with a longitudinal slot, at key having a head at each end adapted to be passed thru said opening and slot when the'bridle rod and reinforcing strip are in parallel'position and adapted to lock said parts upon swinging the reinforcing strip to its position against a side and flange of the rail at right angles to the bridle rod, reinforcing strips mounted on said 4 bridle rodhaving notched ends adapted to engage the-key shanks'and flanges of the rails, a block mounted between the rails, a

spring plunger mounted in said block, a

cross piece mounted on said plunger, and rods connected with said 'cross piece bearing under pressure of the spring plunger against one of the rail reinforcing strips.

2. In combination with a railroad switch, a reinforcing strip mounted against a side and flange on each point thereof and provided with a vertical opening longitudinally enlarged at the top, a bridle rod mounted between the switch rails and havingan opening registering with that in the "reinforcing strip, a key mounted thru said In-testimony whereof I afiix my signa 1 ture.

DAVIS A. PICKENS. 

